This invention relates to interactive wagering systems and methods, and particularly to wagering systems and methods that allow users to place wagers on live wagering events, such as thoroughbred races, harness races, dog races, etc., at locations remote from the locations where the wagering events take place, such as the users""homes. More particularly, this invention relates to wagering systems and methods that allow users to conveniently place wagers on live wagering events using wagering information that is provided with wagering-related video content.
Wagering on live events, such as thoroughbred races, harness races, dog races, etc., is an exciting and increasingly popular leisure activity. However, it is difficult or inconvenient for many racing enthusiasts to attend wagering events in person. Although off-track betting establishments provide greater access to wagering opportunities, they are still inconvenient because users must spend time locating and traveling to such establishments to place wagers.
The above-described difficulties that faced wagering enthusiasts were addressed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,068 (xe2x80x9cthe ""068 patentxe2x80x9d) of Brenner et al. entitled xe2x80x9cInteractive Wagering Systems And Processes,xe2x80x9d which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The ""068 patent discloses interactive wagering systems and processes that allow wagering enthusiasts to place wagers on live wagering events, such as horse races, from the convenience of their homes through the use of an in-home wagering terminal. The disclosed systems and processes give the users the opportunity to place wagers on live events being conducted at many different venues. In addition, the disclosed systems and processes provide the user with the opportunity to place many different types of wagers, ranging from the simple to the very complex, through an intuitive, on-screen interface. Information that may assist the users in making wagering decisions, such as odds, weather, track conditions, and handicapping data, is also provided through the on-screen interface.
More recently, ODS Technologies, L.P. announced the launch of the TVG Networkxe2x80x94a television channel dedicated to delivering programming relating to horse racing. In addition to live coverage of racing events, the TVG Network may broadcast profiles, reviews and/or feature presentations that relate to certain horses, jockeys, trainers, owners, tracks, racing events, etc. Many TVG Network viewers may, as a result of watching the broadcast, become interested in placing a wager based on the subject matter of the broadcast. However, unless specifically mentioned in the broadcast, the viewers may not know when a wagering opportunity relating to the subject matter of the broadcast will be available, if at all. Even if the wagering opportunity is mentioned, the users would have to pay close attention to gather the information they would need to place a wager.
Moreover, users who are watching programming other television channels may not even be made aware of the availability of the interactive wagering service or of the TVG Network wagering television channel.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved ways in which to promote wagering services such as interactive wagering and wagering television channels.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide improved ways to bring interactive wagering opportunities to the attention of television viewers.
These and other objects of the invention are provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention by providing systems and methods that alert users who are watching a television channel of the presence of an interactive wagering service. Users may also be provided with an opportunity to sign up for the interactive wagering service. Promotional material may be displayed to provide users with information on a wagering television channel that the users may sign up for. Systems and methods may also be provided that provide a user with immediate notification of a wagering opportunity relating to a broadcast, and that simplify the process of placing a wager based on the broadcast. The broadcast may be a wagering television channel broadcast or a conventional television channel broadcast.
Users may be alerted to the presence of an interactive wagering service using a pop-up ticker or other notification that appears as an overlay on top of the video for the currently-displayed television channel. Such a pop-up ticker may be displayed at any suitable time. For example, the pop-up ticker may be displayed whenever the user is watching horse-racing related television. The pop-up ticker may also be displayed when the user is watching television programming related to other subjects or is watching any other television programming. If desired, such a pop-up ticker may be used to promote the wagering television channel.
Wagering information may be provided to a user terminal in connection with wagering-related television broadcasts. This information may be provided using any suitable technique, such as by embedding the information in a broadcast signal or otherwise providing the information in association with a broadcast signal, providing the information as part of a television program guide database, providing the information in a continuous data stream not associated with any particular broadcast signal, providing the information on demand by the user, or providing the information periodically (e.g., once per day or once per hour, etc.)
Broadcast wagering information and other such wagering information may be used to link the broadcast to an interactive wagering interface provided by the user terminal, such as the wagering interface disclosed in the ""068 patent. Any known arrangement for providing the wagering information with the television broadcast may be used. For example, the wagering information can be embedded in unused portions of the broadcast signal, such as the horizontal or vertical blanking intervals. Alternatively, the wagering information may be provided in separate signal, such as an FM subcarrier or in a separate digital data stream. The manner by which the wagering information relating to the television broadcast is provided may be selected in part on the particular hardware platform on which the wagering interface is implemented.
When the user terminal receives wagering information relating to a broadcast, the interactive wagering application that supports the interactive wagering service or other suitable application may display a visual indication on the user""s display to notify the user that there is a wagering opportunity available relating to the broadcast the user is watching. The visual indication may be, for example, a small icon generated by the interactive wagering application that is displayed as an overlay on top of a wagering-related broadcast.
In one embodiment, a non-interactive icon is displayed that simply serves as notification that the user may use the interactive wagering service to place a wager relating to the broadcast. For example, if a particular horse is being discussed on the wagering-related broadcast channel, the icon may be displayed to notify the user that there is an opportunity to place a wager on the horse being discussed. Upon seeing the icon, the user can invoke the wagering application to place a wager on that horse.
In another embodiment of the invention, the displayed icon may be interactive, and may be selected by the user using any type of suitable user input device, such as a remote control unit or a keyboard. The interactive wagering interface may respond to the user""s selection of the displayed icon in various ways, depending on the level of sophistication desired. In one embodiment, the user""s selection of the displayed icon causes the user terminal to invoke the interactive wagering interface, and then allows the user to navigate through the available menus to place a wager, if desired. For example, when the icon is selected, the user terminal may display a main menu screen of the interactive wagering service. From there, the user can use the wagering service menu system to place a wager relating to the subject matter of the wagering-related television broadcast.
The wagering information included with the wagering-related broadcast may streamline the user""s wagering experience by allowing the wagering application to bypass some of the menus that would otherwise be provided to the user. Specifically, in addition to providing an indication of a wagering opportunity, the transmitted wagering information may include more detailed information about the wagering opportunity that can be used in place of user responses to menu prompts in the wagering application. For example, if the wagering-related broadcast is discussing a particular horse, the wagering information can include a racetrack identification, a race identification, and a horse identification. If the user selects the interactive icon, the wagering application may use that information to bypass the menus that would otherwise be displayed to allow the user to select a racetrack, race, and horse. The first menu presented to the user may be, for example, a menu that allows the user to select a wager type and amount for the identified racetrack, race, and horse. The data supplied by the broadcast wagering information may be clearly displayed to the user to ensure the user fully appreciates what it is he or she is in the process of wagering on.
The initial menu displayed to the user may be based on the type of information included in the broadcast wagering information. For example, if the wagering information only identifies a racetrack (if, for example, the wagering-related broadcast is profiling a particular racetrack), then the wagering application may display a menu of races being run at that track.
Although the wagering application may direct the user to a particular menu, the user would be able to navigate to other menus as well, including those that may have been bypassed. The user can return to the wagering-related broadcast at any time (e.g., by pressing a designated key on the user input device).
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the broadcast wagering information may be used in connection with a modified wagering application that displays a small overlay on the wagering-related broadcast. The overlay allows the user to continue to watch the broadcast while considering possible wagering opportunities. The overlay may be displayed automatically when the broadcast wagering information indicates that there is a wagering opportunity. Alternatively, the overlay may be displayed in response to the user""s selection of the interactive icon discussed above. Scaled video can be used as an alternative to an overlay (depending on the hardware platform) to avoid obscuring the underlying video content.